Machine for grinding locomotive wheels



June 29, 193 7.

v. MARTIN 2,085,378

MACHINE FOR GRINDING LGCOMOTIVE WHEELS Filed April 8, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l h 25 Fig, L

g5 INVENTOR VEIT'LEI" L.Mari:'i.n

24M flax M I ATTORN Y5.

June 29, 1937; v. L. MARTIN 2,085,378

MACHINE FOR GRINDING LOCOMOTIVE WHEELS Filed April 8, 193 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. VB r net 1.. .Marrin Patented June 29, 1937 STATS MACHINE FOR GRINDING LOCOMOTIVES WHEELS '7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for and methods of grinding locomotive wheels and has particular reference to the grinding of drive wheels of electric mine locomotives Most of the work of hauling coal from the points of production in coal mines to the shaft bottom or mine tipple is performed by electric mine locomotives which depend upon the traction of the locomotive wheels with the steel mine rails. The slipping and sliding of the wheels on the rails tends to Wear a trench or groove in the wheels the width of which is governed by the width of rail on which the locomotive operates. This groove forms a false flange adjacent the outer side of the wheel and also causes the inner flange of the wheel to become much too long. Under these conditions, the passage of the locomotive over the track causes the false flange and the long inner flange to strike heavily on the track frogs, damaging the locomotive and rendering the frogs dangerous as well as useless in a short time. It is therefore, necessary to remove the false flanges and the surplus material of. the inner flanges when the wheels become worn to a damaging extent. Ordinarily, this is done by removing the trucks from the locomotive and transporting them to an expensive machine which turns or cuts off the surplus metal after the tires have been softened by heating. In the meantime, the locomotive must remain idle unless an extra set of trucks is kept on hand. To remove these trucks and replace them with the proper truck requires the services of several men and ordinarily the practice is to discard slightly worn bearings and other parts when changing trucks for fear that these parts may not last until the trucks need turning again.

It is therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a machine which will grind the wheels of a locomotive when the wheels are in their normal position beneath the body of the locomotive.

Another important object of the invention is to provide locomotive Wheel grinding means adapted to be rotated by the power of the 10- comotive while the wheel or wheels acted upon by the grinder are also being rotated by the power of the locomotive.

A further object is to provide a portable grinder which may be moved from one mine or repair pit to another and which is adjustable to various sizes of locomotives and gauges of tracks.

A still further object is to provide a machine adapted to grind a set of wheels simultaneously and-which will enable work on one wheel to progress independently of the work on the other wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive locomotive wheel grinding machine consisting mainly of common gears and not requiring an individual motor or source of power other than the power of the locomotive itself.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of grinding the wheels of a locomotive when the wheels are in their normal position beneath the body of the locomotive.

A further object is to provide an improved method of utilizing the power of the locomotive for grinding the drive wheels thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which drawmgs:

Figure l is a View in side elevation of the improved wheel grinding machine secured to a railroad track and operatively associated with an electric mine locomotive, portions of which have been broken away to better illustrate the arrangement and co-action of parts, and positioned above a repair pit, shown in vertical section.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1, omitting the locomotive, but showing the position of certain of its parts in broken lines.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the improved wheel grinding machine.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line ll of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 7-! of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Figure 3.

Figure 9 is a detail view partly in elevation and partly in section of a portion of a telescoping shaft preferably forming a part of the improved grinding machine.

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on the line l0lfl of Figure 9.

In the drawings, which for the purpose of illustration show only a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters denote corresponding parts thruout the several views, the letter A may generally designate a conventional electric mine locomotive, positioned over a suitable repair pit B in order that the improved wheel grinding machine C may be conveniently associated with the locomotive.

The electric mine locomotive A may include a main body portion l5, two sets of drive wheels l6 and ll and two traction motors l8 and H9. The shaft of the motor is may be provided with a small gear 20 in mesh with a relatively larger drive gear 25 fixed to the axle 22 of the set of wheels 55. The motor l9 may be similarly geared to the other set of drive wheels ll. The locomotive may also be provided with a trolley 23, suitable control equipment 24 for driving both sets of wheels in unison, and a detachable ground connection 25.

The pit B may be so constructed that its side walls 26 will carry the rails 2'! of the track and a trolley wire 28 may be provided over the pit.

Referring now to the improved wheel grinding machine C, it includes a power take-off gear assembly 35, a grinder assembly 3i and a transmission assembly 32.

The power take-off gear assembly 30 includes an elongate base plate 3% adapted to be transversely secured to the track by means of clamps 35, each of which includes a pair of relatively slidable jaws 3i and 36 adapted to be brought into firm engagement with the opposite sides of a rail as by a screw as. The clamps 35 may each be adjustably secured adjacent opposite ends of the base plate as by bolts 48 extending thru slots ll, 42 and 43 in the base plate and the jaws 3'! and 38 respectively. A pair of bearings 44 may be adjustably secured one adjacent each end of the base plate 35 as by the bolts All and a pair of fixed bearings 65 may be secured to the intermediate portion of the base plate. These bearings 413 and d5 serve to carry a shaft 46, the ends 4? of which are journaled in the bearings 44 and are provided with squared portions 58 telescopically associated with a central portion 39 carried by the fixed, bearings 45. Suitable anti-thrust collars so may be provided on the central portion of the shaft. A pair of power take-off gears 5! may be provided one at each end t? of the shaft and adjacent an adjustable bearing it. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the central portion 39 of the telescoping shaft 46 is provided with a cylindrical bore 52 and the squared portion 48 of the shaft end 57 is provided with a pin 53 on one of the surfaces 54 thereof and intermediate the lateral edges of the surface. A cap 55 provided with a square opening thru which the shaft 45 extends is secured to the end of the central portion 59. The pin 53 cannot be moved past the inner edge of the square opening of the cap 55 and this prevents the end 4? from being pulled out of the central portion 55.

As for the grinder assembly 3!, this may include a base plate 56 adapted to be transversely secured to the track by means of clamps 51, similar to the clamps 35, and adjustably secured to the base plate 56 by suitable bolts 58, which may also serve to secure a pair of pillow blocks 59 one on each end of the base plate. Resting on these pillow blocks and pivoting about a bolt 68 adjustably positioned in a transverse slot 6i intermediate the ends of the base plate is a grinder supporting plate 52. The grinder supporting plate may be adjusted either transversely or angularly of the base plate by means of two adjusting screws 63 carried on brackets 64 symmetrically secured to the base plate and provided with a swivel connection 65 to the grinder supporting plate. A telescoping shaft 66 similar to the shaft @5 is mounted on the grinder supporting plate by means of fixed bearings 67 and adjustable bearings 68 similar to the bearings 45 and 44 respectively. The bearings 68 may each be adjusted longitudinally of the grinder supporting plate by means of an adjusting screw 69 carried at one side of the grinder supporting plate by a bracket Eli and swiveled to the bearing as at H. A pair of grinder wheels 12 may be provided one adjacent each end of the shaft 6t. The bearings 68 may each be substantially U-shape in order to support the shaft on oppositesides of the grinder wheel. A portion 73 of each bearing 68 may be removable to facilitate changing of the grinder wheel.

Referring now to the transmission assembly 32, this may comprise an elongate adjustable stiffening brace M, positioned between the gear and grinder assemblies and normally perpendicular thereto. This brace may include a portion 15 rigidly secured at one end as by cap screws #5 to the middle of the base plate 34 of the gear assembly, and a portion Tl having one end positioned between the base plate 56 and the grinder supporting plate 62 of the grinder assembly. The bolt 65 may extend thru a longitudinal slot 78 and act as a pivot between the portion Ti and the grinder assembly. The thickness of the portion Tl should not be greater than the thickness of the pillow blocks 59. The portions 15 and Ti of the brace may be adjustably joined at their other ends as by a pair of bolts 79 passing thru elongate slots 88 therein. A U-shaped bearing 8i may be rigidily mounted on theportion of the brace adjacent the base plate 34 as by cap screws 32. A U-shaped bearing83 may be provided adjacent the middle of and rigid with the grinder supporting plate. Rotatably secured in the bearings 8| and 83 at its end portions 84 and 85 respectively, is a transmission shaft 86. The end portions 8d and 85 may be each secured to a central section 8? as by universal joints 88 and 89 respectively. The central section 81 may include a telescopic drive coupling 90 comprising male and female squared members 9| and 92 respectively. The free ends of the portions 84 and 85 may be provided with bevel gears 93 and 94 respectively. The bevel gears 93 and 9t preferably mesh with bevel gears 95 and 96 positioned on the central portions of the shafts A6 and 66. respectively of the gear and grinder assemblies. The bevel gears are preferably so proportioned that the shaft 66 carrying the grinder wheel will rotate at a greater rate of speed than the shaft 46 carrying the power take-off gear.

When the wheels of a locomotive require grinding, the locomotive may be driven over the pit B under its own power and then raised from the tracks and supported thereover by means of suitable blocks or ties 97. The trolley will remain in contact with the trolley wire and the ground con nection 25 may be secured to the track. The grinder assembly may then be clamped to the rails beneath the locomotive so that one of the power take-off gears will mesh with the drive gear associated with one of the sets of drive wheels of the locomotive and so that the grinder wheels will be positioned one adjacent each wheel of the other set of drive wheels. The power of the locomotive may then be applied thru the control equipment 2 in order to rotate both sets of drive wheels in the samedirection. The power derived 75 from the locomotive and transmitted thru one of the power take-off gears shaft 46, bevel gears 95 and 93, shaft 86, bevel gears 94 and 96, and shaft 66 will rotate the grinder wheels simultaneously with the rotation of the locomotive drive wheels. In order to conveniently utilize the power of the locomotive for grinding the drive wheels thereof, the position of the grinder wheels 72 may be adjusted as follows: Lateral adjustment of .either grinding wheel over the surface of the tire or tread or to and fro-m the tread and flange of the wheel may be accomplished by rotation of the adjusting screw 69 adjacent thereto. The shaft 66 will of course telescope as the grinder wheel bearings slide along the grinder supporting plates. Either grinding wheel may be independently moved into or out of contact with the flange or tread of the locomotive wheel associated therewith by rotating the adjusting screw 63 adjacent thereto. This independent control of the grinding wheels is desirable where only one of a set of locomotive wheels requires grinding, where the tread of one and the flange of the other are to be ground, or where the grinding of one wheel does not proceed as fast as the grinding of the opposite wheel. The transmission shaft 86 will telescope as the grinder supporting plate is moved transversely of the base plate 56, the slots 61 and i6 permitting the pivot bolt 60 to shift. The independent adjustment of the grinder wheels may cause the grinder supporting plate to pivot about the bolt 66 and assume an angular relation with respect to the base plate 56. When this occurs, the bevel gear 94 will remain in mesh with the bevel gear 96 because the bearing 83 carrying the gear 94 is rigid with the grinder supporting plate carrying the gear 96. The end 85 of the transmission shaft may of course swing in a horizontal plane when the grinder wheels are independently adjusted because the shaft 86 is provided with the two universal joints. The distance from the gear assembly to the grinder assembly may be adjusted by lengthening or shortening the brace 14 along the slots 80. It will be noted that the adjusting screws 63 and 69 are positioned away from the gears of the locomotive and the grinding machine for the safety of the operator or operators.

After the first set of wheels has been suitably ground, the second set of wheels may also be ground by detaching the clamps 35 and 51 from the track and then reversing the position of the gear and grinder assemblies. The previously unused take-oif gear will then be associated with the drive gear of the first set of wheels for deriving power from the loco-motive for the grinding of the second set of wheels.

Various changes may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a wheel grinder for locomotives provided with a plurality of drive wheels, a source of power, and means for transmitting said power to the drive wheels including a drive gear; a power takeoff gear adapted to mesh with the drive gear, an adjustably mounted grinder wheel adapted for movement into and out of contact with one of the drive wheels, and a universally and telescopically adjustable connection between the power takeoif gear and the grinder wheel whereby the grinder wheel may be actuated in its various adjusted positions by the power of the locomotive.

2. A grinder for locomotive wheels comprising a power take-off gear, a grinder wheel, means for rotatably mounting the gear on a railroad track, means for rotatably mounting the grinder wheel on the track and permitting angular adjustment of the grinder wheel and means for transmitting motion from the gear to the grinder wheel including a universally adjustable shaft.

3. A grinder for locomotive wheels comprising a power take-01f gear, means for rotatably mounting the gear on a railroad track, a grinder wheel, means for rotatably and adjustably mounting the grinder wheel on the track in spaced relation to the power take-off gear, and means for transmitting motion from the power take-01f gear to the grinder wheel including a telescopically and universally adjustable shaft.

4. A grinder for locomotive wheels comprising a base plate, means for clamping the base plate to a railroad track, a power take-off gear rotatably mounted on the base plate, a second base plate, means for clamping the second base plate to the track, a grinder supporting plate slidably mounted on the base plate, a grinder wheel rotatably and slidably mounted on the supporting plate, and universally and telescopically adjustable coupling means between the power take-off gear and the grinder wheel.

5. A device of the class described comprising a base plate adapted to be clamped to a railroad track, a telescoping shaft mounted on the base plate, a power take-off gear secured on the shaft, a second base plate adapted to be clamped to the track in spaced relation to the first base plate, a telescoping shaft supported by the second base plate, a grinder wheel secured to the telescoping shaft, and motion transmitting means between the first and second shafts.

6. A portable grinder for drive wheels attached to a locomotive comprising a gear assembly including a base plate, means for clamping the base plate to a track, a shaft journaled on the base plate, a power take-off gear and a bevel gear fixed on the shaft; a grinder assembly including a base plate, a grinder supporting plate transversely and angularly slidable thereon, a telescoping shaft mounted on the supporting plate, a bevel gear and a grinder wheel mounted on opposite portions of the shaft; and a power transmission assembly between the gear and grinder assemblies including a telescopically and universally adjustable shaft provided with a bevel gear meshing with the bevel gear of the gear assembly and a bevel gear meshing with the bevel gear of the grinder assembly.

7. In a machine for grinding a set of drive wheels of a locomotive provided with a drive gear accessible from a position beneath the locomotive, a power take-off gear, means for securing the power take-off gear beneath the locomotive whereby the power take-off gear may mesh with the drive gear, a set of grinder wheels beneath the locomotive in spaced relation to said power take-off gear, said set of grinder wheels being so mounted that it is angularly adjustable, whereby said grinder wheels may each independently co-act with one of said drive wheels, and universally adjustable means connecting the power take-off gear to the set of grinder wheels whereby the set of grinder wheels may be actuated in an angularly adjusted position.

VERNER L. MARTIN. 

